Thursday, August 02, 2012

The Biggest Challenge For Cloud Computing In 2012

Security always appears top of the list, coupled with what I interpret as confusion over how and what is needed to make best use of the cloud. So in short, for me, a lack of understanding remains the challenge. Whilst security is critical, I feel the need to provide some counter points.

Any computer connected to the Internet is at risk from hackers, whether it is in the cloud or in a private data centre. Would it be true to say that an SME, with necessarily limited resources, is able to better secure its data than say, Amazon? In addition, who says everything needs to be in the cloud? Adopting a cloud computing strategy isn’t an ‘all or nothing’ decision. Data can remain within a data centre or on premise, whilst applications that need to access such data can be based in the cloud. That’s the whole principle behind the different cloud types – private, public or hybrid.

I think that anyone considering a move to the cloud needs to carefully consider their motivations and objectives for doing so, and to question what data and workflows they and their customers will feel happy placing in the cloud. Most importantly, select a vendor that can accommodate your cloud migration strategy, now and in the future. The challenge in 2012 isn’t that of cloud computing, the challenge for cloud vendors or providers of Cloud 'services' is that they need to not only advocate the benefits of their particular offering, but also educate the market on the benefits of cloud, full stop.

Another major challenge will be Bandwidth. It's probably the case that the majority of SME/Bs have 'plenty' of local network bandwidth with which to conduct their in-house operations/business, however, it's also probably the case that they don't have the same bandwidth in their pipe(s) into the 'Cloud' and that could be an awkward bottleneck if you swallowed the cloud philosophy without adequate preparation - which, of course, you'd never do.

For the pessimists amongst you, despite Moore’s Law and Nielson’s Law, there’s always Parkinson’s Law, which prevails: “Usage expands so as to fill all available bandwidth.”